Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 22, 2022 / 15:40 pm. Travis Clark, 39, made the confession as. There was a problem saving your notification. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Clark was removed from his post with the churchone day after his arrest. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ST. TAMMANY PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE, Former priest accused of altar sex in Pearl River church pleads not guilty to vandalism, Priest recorded having group sex on altar of Pearl River church, police say; 3 arrested, Obscenity charge filed against former priest, dominatrices for alleged Pearl River altar tryst. Some priests said at the time that Clark's seminary nickname was Lurch, a reference to the gloomy butler in television's "The Addams Family." Share The Pillar 'The haters have won': Isaiah Washington - who was fired from Grey's Anatomy for gay slur - announces early retirement from acting in lengthy Twitter rant, 'Don't go into the mountains! The DA's motion said that Clark signed the plea agreement in open court, with both of his lawyers present. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Kellyanne Conway and husband George SPLIT after 22 years following admission in her 2022 memoir that her husband's criticism of Trump was a betrayal, Where IS Gavin? Jerry Lambe is a journalist at Law&Crime. We have and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement. Clark is now one of four priests within the past week Aymond has had to address for sexual abuse or obscenity. Clark was arrested after filming himself having sex with two dominatrices inside the church on September 30. "Defendant Clark was not seeking pecuniary gain or fame in any form. NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The St. Tammany Parish District Attorney's Office has charged a former priest and two women with vandalizing a Pearl River Church last Fall. My clients look forward to their day in court as we continue to fight this baseless allegation.. Travis John Clark, 39, was accused of engaging in lewd sexual acts . He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. The original obscenity charge was filed after prosecutors alleged the three were having sex in a place open to the public view.. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Clark was ordained a priest in 2013. The two women, Mindy Dixon and Melissa Cheng, were later identified as dominatrices; Dixon had reportedly written on social media shortly before the encounter that she and another dominatrix were on their way to defile a house of God. They each pleaded guilty in July to a misdemeanor count of institutional vandalism and got two years of supervised probation. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? All rights reserved. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate), Roman Catholic Archbishop Gregory Aymond, pictured entering the Presbytere in New Orleans after celebrating Easter Mass at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans on April 12, traveled Saturday to Saints Peter and Paul Church in Pearl River to consecrate a new altar during vigil Mass. Fr. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Clark, Cheng and Dixon were all released from jail after posting bond shortly after their arrests. A witness walked towards the church out of curiosity as the inside lights were on at an unusual time and used a cell phone to record the unexpected sight before contacting the Pearl River police. "Autism is a cognitive disability that inhibited Defendant Clark's understanding of the terms of the plea agreement," the filing said, adding that Clark never received a copy of the agreement. The only way we can know is if an investigator comes in and goes through his archives, Bourgeois said. Clark, who was a pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church . View our online Press Pack. ", Phillips has not immediately responded to. Instead, after waiting nearly six months, the State has decided to move forward with a lesser charge of institutionalized vandalism. It is clear the State went out of its way to contort the facts of this case in order to fit their own narrative. Dixon and Clark earlier this year both entered into deals with prosecutors, in which they agreed to plead guilty to one count each of institutional vandalism, a misdemeanor. Travis Clark, 39, a former Catholic priest in Louisiana, pleaded guilty on Monday to an obscenity charge after he was caught having a threesomeon the altar of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in 2020, The altar of Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church during a regularly scheduled Mass. (WVUE) - Archbishop Gregory Aymond released a video statement reacting to the arrest of former priest Travis Clark. Once again, they have overstepped their bounds as this nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to regulate the morality of private individuals. The women he was with, Mindy Dixon, 41, and Melissa Cheng, 28, face the same charge. MEGHAN MCCAIN: Ohio in a poisonous soup. In this situation its an incredibly specific set of facts and conditions that seem very unlikely to ever happen again, Kennedy reportedly told the Advocate, suggesting that Dixon and Cheng were far more likely to find themselves in similarly hot water. As for Clarks future in the courtroom, Fox 8 legal analyst, Joe Raspanti says its a pretty straightforward case, especially if supposed video evidence is brought to a St. Tammany jury. Clark was sentenced to three years in prison, but Creel decided to suspend his time in jail and instead punished him with three years of probation and a $1,000 fine. Travis Jhon Clark allegedly engaged in athreesome with Mindy Lynn Dixon andMelissa Kamon Chengon top of an altar that has now been burned by the church. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. His desecration of the altar in church was demonic. Market data provided by Factset. Father Travis Clark, 37, and the two women he was caught with making a pornographic video, each faces up to two years imprisonment if found guilty. Travis Clark, 37, instead faces a charge of felony vandalism over the. When the three were arrested, they were booked with obscenity. Click Here to report it. Professional dominatrix duo Lady Vi and Empress Ming Louisiana Catholic priest, 37, is arrested for recording Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. A former priest plead guilty to an obscenity charge after he was filmed having a threesome with two dominatrices on the altar of a Louisiana church. 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Obscene acts occurred on the altar, which is clearly visible from the street," police said. Travis Clark, 37, was a pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church when he allegedly had sex with two women, identified as Mindy Dixon, 41, and Melissa Cheng, 28, on the churchs altar. Phillips also lashed the vandalism charge as prurient, saying: Once again, they have overstepped their bounds as this nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to regulate the morality of private individuals. Advertisement Clark had been the pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church Catholic in. All three were arrested and booked with obscenity. After glimpsing inside, the witness saw Clark, partly naked, in the middle of a threesome on the church altar with two women in corsets. According to a report from The Advocate, the aforementioned witnesses were passing by the church located in the 66000 block of St. Mary Drive on Sept. 30, 2020 when they spotted Dixon and two women, later identified as professional dominatrices Mindy Dixon andMelissa Cheng. Sts. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. By Gina Tron Priest, Dominatrices Have Charges Reduced For Altar Sex The Archbishop continued by reiterating the church is a holy place, and said that when it is used for unholy things and has been desecrated, we must drive away the evil spirit, That is what we do today.. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Do not sell or share my personal information. Its unclear if Clark has an attorney. But last week, 22nd Judicial District Attorney Warren Montgomery formally charged the trio on a charge of institutional vandalism. Clark was axed from his job by the Archdiocese of New Orleans after the scandal emerged, and has yet to comment on the threesome. [emailprotected]. As part of their plea deals, both dominatrices reportedly agreed to testify against Clark if his case ever went to trial. The two insist that they were innocent because all parties were adults and the incident took place behind closed doors on private property. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Travis John Clark, 37, then pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Mindy Lynn Dixon, 41 . Travis Clark and two dominatrices, Melissa Cheng, center, and Mindy Dixon, right, were charged with vandalism following an alleged altar threesome at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in 2020. 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Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020. Dixon and Cheng were recording themselves performing sex acts on Clark using a phone and camera on a tripod, Nola.com reported. Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Emailus. or redistributed. Has he had possibly with minor. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. A. Travis Clark was sentenced to. countries. Keep up with the latest St. Tammany Parish news by signing up for our weekly newsletter, the North Shore Report, at nola.com/northshorereport. The Archdiocese of New Orleans removed him the day after his arrest. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Upon arriving at the house of worship, police reportedly seized multiple sex toys and staging lights, as well as a camera mounted on a tripod that was used to film the encounter. A former Catholic priest caught engaging in a sex romp with a pair of dominatrices on a church altar in 2020 has pleaded guilty to felony obscenity charges. He received a suspended three-year sentence and will serve three years of supervised probation, FOX8 New Orleans reported. Travis Clark, 37, through a church window engaged with two high-heeled, corseted women. Archbishop of New Orleans Gregory Aymond told WWL-TV that Clarks acts were deplorable., His desecration of the altar in Church was demonic, he said. 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How many others have been allowed to stay in a cleric after reports made against them? Clarks lawyer Bradley Phillips said it was rightful not to pursue obscenity charges because the priest and his lovers were having consensual sex in a private place. Have a tip or story idea? "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. The St. Tammany Parish courthouse in Covington. An unidentified witness reportedly saw Mindy Dixon, 41, and Melissa Cheng, 23, allegedly having sex with Clark - who was half naked. The two women who were arrested along with the priest, Mindy Lynn Dixon, 41, of Kent, Washington, and Melissa Kamon Cheng, 28, of Alpharetta, Georgia, were not at the St. Tammany courthouse in Covington Monday morning. Travis Clark, a former priest at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pearl River, Louisiana (St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office ) A former Catholic priest accused of performing. "The Court extensively questioned the defendant to ensure that he had in fact read the plea agreement and understood it," the motion said. Kelly P. Cresswell Senior Vice President, Operations Survivors of Childhood Sex Abuse Direct: (504) 259-0901 www.scsaorg.org SCSA, opinion, Commentary, new orleans, It was possible for the onlooker to peek inside the church through the windows and glass doors. While condemning Clarks alleged sexual exploits, Aymond asked the congregation not to judge the church or priesthood as a whole by Clarks actions. Just because you dont like something, doesnt make it criminal. NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The St. Tammany Parish District Attorneys Office has charged a former priest and two women with vandalizing a Pearl River Church last Fall. Just because you dont like something, doesnt make it criminal. Former priest, two women formally charged for having sex in Pearl River church, La. Travis Clark, 37, was a pastor . St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, Attorney Bradley Phillips, who represents both Dixon and Cheng, told, on Friday that the district attorneys office "has rightfully chosen to not pursue obscenity charges against my clients. It's unclear if the video was ever released, but Clark is set to appear back in court on January 20 to ensure the trio will never gain profit from the act, according to NOLA.com. What upsets me is, why did he have to do that there?," she told WWLTV. The case against Clark was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Authement. He has paid restitution to the Archdiocese of New Orleans, which destroyed the altar. PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY, Convicted of obscenity, former St. Tammany priest jailed after giving TV interview, The priest was jailed for contempt of court. The defense also said that Clarkhas been diagnosed with autism and did not knowingly enter into an agreement to waive his constitutional right to free speech. Clark had faced a count of felony institutional vandalism, but it was dropped as part of the plea agreement. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate), The front door Sts. (St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office). I believe the only way this church and the city is going to survive is get someone from the outside to come in and start from the beginning and when that does happen SNAP will be there to support whatever archbishop is replaced, Bourgeois said. Travis Clark, 39, now must serve six months behind bars, according to court records. He now stands accused of knowingly vandalizing, defacing or otherwise damaging property and causing damage valued between $500 and $50,000.. Clark was pastor of Sts. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Travis Clark, 39, appeared at the Covington courthouse on Monday in front of Judge Ellen Creel and pleaded guilty. All English Franais. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Rev. In a filing opposing the revocation, Clark's attorney, Marc Hoerner Jr., argued that his client did not gain from the TV appearance and was not seeking notoriety. Travis Clark, 37 . Police seized sex toys, stage lights, a cell phone and a tripod-mounted camera. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests is closely tallying the number of deviant priests and their actions. Clark had been the pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church Catholic in Pearl River and was arrested in October of 2020 when witnesses saw two women and him having sex on the altar of the church, the release states. Clark and the women both dominatrixes who were wearing corsets and high heels were caught after a passer-by strolled past the church, noticed a light was on inside, and looked through a window, only to be confronted with the trio having sex. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate). She executed antique engine buff friend to forge a will and inherit his house. Travis Clark and two dominatrices, Melissa Cheng, center, and Mindy Dixon, right, were charged with vandalism following an alleged altar threesome at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in 2020. Obscenity charges against a former priest and two professional dominatrices have been dropped, . Rev. If convicted, they could be sentenced to up to two years in prison, with or without hard labor, and a fine of not more than $1,000 or both, according to the DA's office. "Im upset for all of us, the parishioners of the church. Clark was ordained a priest in 2013 and became pastor of St. Peter and Paul last year. Travis Clark, a former priest who was arrested last October after a passerby allegedly saw him having sex with two corset-clad women on the altar of a Pearl River Catholic church pleaded not guiltyMonday to a charge of institutional vandalism, a felony. When the details became clear, we had the altar removed and burned. Clark, 37, remains free on $25,000 bond, and Cheng and Dixon both remain free on $7,500 bond. Attorney Bradley Phillips, who represents both Dixon and Cheng, told Nola.com on Friday that the district attorneys office "has rightfully chosen to not pursue obscenity charges against my clients.". The now former Rev. Clark was caught in the unholy act more than two years ago when a passerby noticed lights on in the Pearl River church - and when he peered in through the window, he was stunned at what he saw. Travis Jhon Clark, 39, pleaded guilty to felony obscenity charges before a district judge in New Orleans, prosecutors announced on Wednesday. All rights reserved. was walking by Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Pearl River on Sept. 30 when they allegedly saw a half-clothed priest through the church's windows engaging in a threesome with two corset-clad dominatrices on top of the altar, While the three wereoriginally charged with, obscenity countslast fall, on Friday the, St. Tammany Parish District Attorneys Office, Rev. Theyve now penned a letter to Pope Francis asking him to send someone to investigate the archbishop and his records. Headteacher sacked 'after sending parents a list of striking teachers' as school launches probe, Isle of Innisfree ferry: Blaze breaks out on boat carrying 183 people in English Channel as lifeboats scramble to scene. A lawyer for the two dominatrices said that they had been hired for 'role-play' and were performing consensual acts when they were arrested on the night of September 30, 2020. Clark has paid restitution in the amount of $8,000.. My clients look forward to their day in court as we continue to fight this baseless allegation.". Fox News Flash top headlines for November 22. Travis Clark, 39, a former Catholic priest in Louisiana, pleaded guilty on Monday to an obscenity charge after he was caught having a threesome Clark was arrested in September 2020 along. The altar was replaced by the church. Clark was busted in an unholy trinity with Mindy Dixon and Melissa Cheng on September 30, 2020. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. He saidthat the incident was legal because it didnt occur in public. Clark pleaded guilty to felony obscenity on Monday. Reverend Travis Clark, 37, worked as a priest at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Pearl River, Louisiana. Now her new home is prison. 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He is a graduate of Georgetown University and New York Law School and previously worked in financial securities compliance and Civil Rights employment law. Reverend Travis Clark, 37, worked as a priest at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Pearl River, Louisiana. The witnesses reportedly told authorities that they saw a nearly naked Clark having sexual intercourse with the two women, both of whom were dressed in leather corsets. Clark had seemingly escaped jail time for the three-way in 2020 that a passerby saw through the window at Sts. (TCD) -- A 39-year-old former priest recently pleaded guilty to felony obscenity after engaging in a threesome with two dominatrices on a church altar in 2020. In addition to the suspended sentence and probation, Judge Creel also ordered Clark to pay a fine of $1,000. NEW ORLEANS, La. [Images St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office], Have a tip we should know? We acknowledge the charges filed against Travis Clark and Patrick Wattigny by the St. Tammany District Attorneys Office. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Reverend Travis Clark was ordained in 2013, Mindy Dixon was arrested and booked for obscenity charges, Melissa Cheng was allegedly also involved in the illegal act, Clark was suspended from the ministry after getting arrested. Clark was caught having sex on the alter with two women, Cheng and Dixon (pictured in their mugshots) were also arrested and sentenced to two years of probation. Market data provided by Factset. Clarks defense attorney said the ex-priest had already paid $8,000 in restitution to the Archdiocese of New Orleans after the altar was declared desecrated and ordered to be burned and replaced, the outlet reported. A representative of the Archdiocese of New Orleans was present and agreed to the sentence. A former Catholic priest who pleaded guilty last month to a felony obscenity charge for performing sex acts with two professional dominatrices on the altar of a Pearl River church has been held. Travis Clark is pictured in his mugshot. One witness said they saw the priest stripped down on the alter. A Catholic priest who was caught having sex with two dominatrices on the altar of his Louisiana church has pleaded guilty to felony obscenity, according to local reports. Police soon arrived and discovered sex toys and a tripod-mounted camera that had apparently been filming the steamy scene. What are the secrets that hes hiding? Police were called, and removed plastic sex toys as well as stage lights from the scene. About a week after the crime in 2020, the Archbishop of New Orleans consecrated a new altar at the church after its predecessor was burned following Clark's 'demonic' behavior. The onlooker began recording a video of the group and called Pearl River Police, who later arrested the Rev. The witness saw the priest was stripped down on the altar and engaging in sex acts with the corseted women in high-heeled boots, according to prosecutors. Copyright 2021 WVUE. "Instead, after waiting nearly six months, the state has decided to move forward with a lesser charge of 'institutionalized vandalism.' A former Catholic priest who pleaded guilty last month to a felony obscenity charge for performing sex acts with two professional dominatrices on the altar of a Pearl River church has been held in contempt of court for giving a television news interview. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Dixon, an adult film actor, and Cheng were allegedly wearing high heels and corsets as Clark handled sex toys. The archdioceses had no comment on the request for a Vatican investigation. 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